Rod assembly



I HERTZBERG ROD ASSEMBLY Sept. 24, 1968 FiLled April 25, 1967 8 3 2 a F y & 0 5 m INVENTOR. IRA HERTZBERG AT TORNEYS United States Patent 3,402,950 ROD ASSEMBLY Ira Hertzberg, 1 Lincoln Ave., Goshen, N.Y. 10924 Filed Apr. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 633,474 4 Claims. (Cl. 2873) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A two part rod assembly for cleaning rifles and the like, has handle and rod portions which can be arranged in three positions. In one position the handle and rod are coaxially arranged for storage purposes. In the first operative position, the rod and handle are in T-formation with the handle being rotatable relative to the rod, and in the second operative position the rod and handle are in T-formation and interlocked for rotation in unison.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to a rod assembly, and more particularly to a two piece rod assembly suitable for cleaning rifles.

The cleaning rod assembly of the present invention basically comprises a two part construction having three positions, i.e. one position to render the assembly suitable for storage, and first and second operative position for utilization of the rod assembly for cleaning rifle bores and the like. In the aforesaid storage position the two parts of the rod assembly of the present invention, are coaxially arranged for minimum bulk. In the first operative position of the rod assembly, the rod and handle are in T-formation with the handle being rotatable relative to the rod, and in the second operative position the rod and handle are in T-formation and interlocked for rotation in unison.

Presently used rod assemblies for cleaning rifles, typically require at least a three part construction to provide a rod assembly wherein the rod and handle are in T-formation and interlocked for rotation in unison. Furthermore, in such presently used rod assemblies, an additional handle component is generally required in order to provide an interlocked T-forrnation operative position, and such rod assemblies are unduly bulky, and costlier and therefore present problems in connection with the storage thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simplified two-part rod assembly suitable for cleaning rifles and the like.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simplified rod assembly having a two-part construction, with a coaxially arranged storage position for minimum bulk, and first and second operative positions wherein the rod and handle are in T-formation.

Yet another Object of the present invention is to pro vide a two-part construction rod assembly wherein in one of the operative positions the rod and handle are of T-formation and interlocked for rotation in unison.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a rod assembly comprising a cylindrical rod portion adaptable for having a cleaning tool secured to one end thereof, and a cylindrical handle having a hollow for slidably receiving the other end of the rod portion. The rod at its other end has an undercut flat surface shank portion and a spherical enlargement extending therefrom. The handle has a first bevelled lower slot at its lower wall and a second upper slot at its upper wall, with the said upper slot having an elongated slot portion for receiving the rod shank and an enlarged arcuate slot portion extending from one end of the elongated ice slot for passage therethrough of the spherical enlargement whereby the rod and handle are rendered into T- formation. The lower end of the spherical enlargement limits the movement of the rod in a direction perpendicular to the handle and the elongated slot limits the rotational movement of the rod above its own axis to thereby render the rod and handle in an interlocked T-formation for rotation of the handle and rod in unison.

The novel features believed to be characteristic of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the appendant claims. The invention, however, both as to its organization and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the rod assembly is in the storage position.

FIG 2 is a cross-section of the rod assembly of FIG. 1, taken along lines 2-2.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the handle of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the rod assembly of the present invention, in the first operative position wherein the rod and handle are in T-formation with the handle being rotatable relative to the rod.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the depiction of FIG. 4, taken along the line 5-5.

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken perpendicularly to the axis of the handle, showing the rod assembly in the interlocked T-formation position.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the rod assembly in the interlocked T-formation position, taken along the longitudinal axis of the handle.

Referring to FIG. 1, the rod assembly of the present invention, shown in the coaxial storage position, is seen to comprise a cylindical handle portion 10 and a cylindrical rod portion 12 suitable for having a brush, patch or other cleaning tool 14 suitably attached thereto at its lower end.

Handle portion 10, at its lower end 16 is provided with an elongated slot 18 which is bevelled as shown at 20. Rod 12, at its upper end has a shank portion 22 formed by undercutting rod 12 on opposite sides to form flat surfaces 23 and 25, with a spherical ball shaped enlargement 24 extending therefrom. Rod 12 is slidably movable in the interior cylindrical hollow 26 of handle portion 10, and is limited in its downward movement therein by a detent 28 which engages the bottom portion of ball enlargement 24, in order to prevent rod portion 12 from being drawn out of the handle 10.

Handle 10 is provided about midway of its length on its upper end 30 with an elongated slot 32 which extends into a slot 34 which is bevelled at 33 to facilitate the passage therethrough of ball 24, as hereinafter explained.

In order for the rod assembly of the present invention, to assume the first operative position wherein rod 12 and handle 10 are in T-formation, with rod 12 being rotatable about its longitudinal axis in either direction as shown by direction arrow 35 in FIG. 4, rod 12 is arcuately rotated in the plane of handle 10, as shown by direction arrow 36, to assume the position shown by FIGS. 4 and 5. In the first operative position, as shown by FIGS. 4 and 5, rod 12 is constrained in lateral movement with respect to handle 10 by detent 28 engaging ball 24 on one side, and by the engagement of edge 38 of lower wall 40 with shank portion 22 as shown in FIG. 5.

In order to render the rod assembly of the present invention into the second operative position wherein rod 12 and handle 10 are of T-formation and interlocked for rotation in unison, rod 12 is slidably moved upwardly in hollow 26 to assume the position shown by dotted outline 42,

whereby ball 24 is disposed directly beneath slot 34. Rod 12 is then arcuately rotated in the direction shown by arrow 36, so that ball 24 passes upwardly through slot 34 and undercut shank 22 passes through elongated slot 32 which has a width dimension slightly greater than the width of shank 22 to allow for slidable movement of shank 2'2 therethrough. Rod 12 is thus rotated in the direction 36 until it is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of handle to assume the interlocked T-formation as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

In the interlocked operative position, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, rod 12 is restrained from rotational movement about its own longitudinal axis by the abutting engagement of the fiat surfaces 23 and of shank 22 with the sidewalls 44 and 46 of elongated slot 32. Furthermore, rod 12 is limited in its vertical slidable movement in the downward direction by the abutting engagement of the lower end of ball 24 with the outer edges of sidewalls 44 and 46 of slot 32, and in the upward direction by the abutting engagement of the shoulder portions 48 and 50 of shank 22 with the lower edges 52 and 54 respectively of sidewalls 44 and 46.

An important feature of the present invention is thus demonstrate-d in that a relatively simple construction arrangement of the handle 10 and 12 portions provides an advantageous storage position as illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 2, a first operative position wherein rod 12 and handle 10 are in T-formation with rod 12 being rotatable relative to handle 10 as depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, and a second operative position wherein rod 12 and handle 10 are in T-formation and interlocked for rotation in unison as depicted by FIGS. 6 and 7. In this connection, it should be noted that presently used rod assemblies for cleaning rifles either have a large additional handle which is required to be suitably attached to the usual two piece rod assembly in order to provide an interlocked construction for rotation in unison, or merely provide a two-part coaxial arrangement with no handle at all, thereby making it very difiicult to grasp the upper end of the cleaning rod and rotate it in a rifle chamber. It is thus evident, that the novel construction of the rod assembly of the present invention overcomes the serious disadvantages of the presently used cleaning rod assemblies in a unique and economical manner.

It is understood that additional rod sections may be fixedly secured to rod 12 to provide a longer rod portion 12, and to accommodate this feature, rod 12 may have a cylindrical hollow which is internally screw threaded at its lower end to receive additional rod sections.

While there has been shown a particular embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that it is not wished to be limited thereto, since modifications can be made in the arrangement of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and it is contemplated in the appendant claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed:

1. A rod assembly, comprising a cylindrical rod adaptable for having a cleaning tool secured thereto at one end thereof, a cylindrical handle having a hollow' for slidably receiving the other end of said rod, said rod at its other end having undercut parallel fiat shank surfaces and a spherical enlargement coaxially extending therefrom, said handle having a bevelled lower slot in its lower wall, and upper slot means in its upper wall, said upper slot means including an elongated slot for closely receiving said parallel undercut rod shank surfaces and an enlarged arcuate slot extending from one end of said elongated slot for passage therethrough of said spherical enlargement to couple said rod and handle in substantially perpendicular relation, whereby the lower end of said spherical enlargement limits the movement of said rod in one direction perpendicular to said handle, and said elongated slot limits the rotational movement of said rod about its axis and engages the shoulders of the flat surfaces to limit axial movement of the rod in the opposite direction, thereby coupling said rod and handle in interlocked substantially perpendicular relation for rotation of said handle and rod in unison.

2. A rod assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said arcuate slot is bevelled at its end remote from said elongated slot to facilitate passage therethrough of said spherical enlargement.

3. A rod assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle lower slot is bevelled to permit rotation of said rod in the plane of said handle.

4. A rod assembly as defined in claim 1 including a detent extending from the interior wall of said handle hollow proximate to the end of said elongated slot remote from said arcuate slot whereby said rod is retained in T-formation with said handle and said rod is limited in lateral movement in one direction by said detent engaging said spherical enlargement and in the opposite direction by said handle lower wall, while permitting rotation of said rod about its longitudinal axis.

No references cited.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

W. L. SHEDD, Assistant Examiner. 

